PlaneTags has finished up a run of plates using some of the castoff skins of the upper wings from the Experimental Aviation Association's B-17 Aluminum Overcast. The skins were taken off in March of 2014, when the aircraft was overhauled and stripped down for a much needed refurb. The EAA has put up 8 different variations, since the removed skins had black, white, and silver sections to choose from. Most of the time, ones with some kind of striation or paint application seem to do better on the secondary market, so the "partial black paint" or riveted pieces will likely prove popular in years to come. Expect to pay about $110 on the lower end for a plainer tag, and about $165 for the more interesting variants.
Stefanie's Work Hides Behind First Responders to Gut the Affordable Drone Market
The Drone industry has raised its hackles regarding the Drones for First Responders Act introduced by Congressional rep Elise Stefanie, describing it as a boon to the EMS/Fire/Police crowd at the expense of the recreational and commercial drone industries. "While on the surface, this bill makes a lot of sense, and I believe the industry is on board with what the Congresswoman is trying to do for First Responders (in addition to farmers and ranchers, as well as those who work with critical infrastructure), that’s where our support ends," said Vic Moss of the Droning Company.
Flight Sim Association Studies the Age-Old Question
The Flight Simulation Association completed a survey of pilots and air traffic controllers across the country, looking to quantify the exact impact of home-based flight simulation on their resulting training. While it's long been said that flight simming is more harm than good, cementing bad habits and inflating egos in a phase that can't handle too much of either. That's been pushed back on in younger generations, however, as flight simulation became more advanced, and physical control setups came down in price. The Association found that for Private Pilot students, those who used the flight sim saved about 5.5 hours of training time - not too shabby when Skyhawk time seems to settle around $150
The U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team showed off a brand new paint scheme to celebrate their 50th anniversary, mirroring the design of the original YF-16 prototype from 1974. The pain design took much longer than they'd expect, stretching a 3-week job into 8 weeks after all was said and done. The team worked with the 412th Test Wing to ensure it was done correctly, since their logistics manager Tony Accurso would be directing the Edwards AFB F-16 50th Anniversary celebration. He became their go-to for historical accuracy, ensuring the resulting paint scheme would be a spot-on evocation of the original prototype.
Also: Midnight eVTOL Certification, Falcon 9 Record, Pro Line Fusion, Europa Clipper
The warbird community celebrated Mark Novak, Chief Pilot of their B-29 'Doc', and his accomplishment of racking up 500 hours in the vintage bomber. On top of that, Novak built up more than 300 hours of time flying the other B-29 'Fifi', making him the modern era's most experienced B-29 pilot. The Airspace Center for Excellence has been given the blessing to begin operating Lakeland Linder International Airport's first concessions store, riding on the tail of new commercial service by Avelo Airlines. Evidently, there weren't too many bidders for the opportunity, wi
Also: NATA CEO In Legal Dilemma, WestJet Encore Settle, Drone Bill H.R. 8416, USN Jet Trainer
GAMA released their 1Q/24 GA Aircraft Shipment and Billing Report -- with mostly mixed news. The results for the first three months of 2024 when compared to the same period in 2023, show deliveries were flat for piston airplanes and piston helicopters, decreased for turboprops and turbine helicopters, and increased for business jets. Total aircraft billings were up 3.2% at $4.7 billion. Czech sportplane manufacturer Direct Fly has finished delivering its 200th ALTO NG, the latest iteration of their 600-kg sportplane. The Alto was previously offered
Nexus Full-Scale Technology Demonstrator Should Fly Next Year
Textron has successfully connected the two halves of the fuselage of its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), Nexus, full-scale technology demonstrator. This significant milestone involves joining the central sections of the aircraft that are designed to seat passengers. “Since the formation of Textron eAviation, the team has been focused on vehicle design, performance confirmation and the build of our first full-scale technology demonstrator to test the control and functionality of the aircraft,” said Kriya Shortt, president & CEO, Textron eAviation.
Also: uAvionix AV-Link, F-16 Viper Demo, TN National Guard, 'Staff the Towers'
A Saturday afternoon jump run, originating from SkyDive Kansas City, went bad when it was reported that, "a Skydiver premature parachute deployment at 14,000 msl damag(ed) the tail section." The turbine-upgraded Cessna 206, N29173, was abandoned by the pilot, who made a safe and successful jump, though the aircraft is a total loss. The parachute-equipped jump pilot exited the aircraft after all six jumpers had cleared the aircraft. The fourth flight test of Starship could launch as soon as June 5, pending regulatory approval. SpaceX notes that Starship’s third fli
Also: VA Scholarships, Certification Standards, 'Staff the Towers', Women in Aviation Advisory
In partnership with Revv Aviation and the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID), Coe College is opening a new flight school and aviation management program. Those interested in becoming a professional pilot can complete their certification while enrolled as students within Coe's new aviation management concentration. Just as they got themselves a new contract, things spiraled out of control as the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots claimed, "Managers use intimidation, aggressive interrogation tactics to silence the Union's voice." Scarcely a few weeks passed si
Massive Aviation News Event Started 2024 Off With a Plethora of Exciting Info
Last year, we introduced the SnF Innovation Preview in which 25 companies introduced over 30 new planes, products, engines, accessories, and more… in other words… a LOT of news. Rotax previewed the powerful 916iS, CubCrafters showcased the Carbon Cub UL, Bose introduced the A30, Aerox revealed the Boomula… and so much more. This year, we went beyond that... way beyond all that, with a larger selection of news announcements that covered ALL aspects of sport, general and commercial aviation... all at the start of the
Partnership Brings 4AIR Programs, Software to UASITS Portfolio
UAS International Trip Support has started up a strategic partnership with 'aviation sustainability solution leader', 4AIR to offer the latter's programs to clientele. 4AIR's programs include software covering voluntary sustainability initiatives, regulatory monitoring, compliance , and sustainable aviation fuel inventory management. UAS International Trip Support, despite its name, is a flight support business not so much related to drones and autonomous flight, but focused almost entirely on ensuring easy, friction-free passenger operations around the world. Their footprint already touches on a variety of industry groups and businesses, giving them access to suppliers, fuel producers
Also: Samson Sky, CAF Great Plains Wing, New Cert Standards, Flying Start Day
There are, occasionally, blisteringly dunderheaded bits of governmental incompetence to be found with increasing regularity... but the most recent move by the Nat'l Parks Service leaves us shaking our heads and a bit ashamed of Uncle Sam. The leaders of the Arsenal of Democracy consortium had planned to execute a World War II aircraft flyover at Mount Rushmore on Memorial Day to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. It would have been grand... and NOT a sight to miss. Vertical Aviation International is worried that an NYC helicopter port is in danger of permanent cl
Also: ALPA Warns, ASA Updates Training Logs, Florida Teen Scholarship, Aviation Meteorology
The EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship program has seen its 500th student pilot graduate helped along the way, marking off a significant milestone for the group's most widely useful scholarship. The Ray Scholarship is funded by the Ray Foundation, but managed by EAA. That allows it to source candidates through its network of EAA chapters. Women in Corporate Aviation has announced the recipients of its Spring Scholarship Program, noting that they've had a record amount of applications in the last year. All in all, WCA saw more than 300 applicants for the scholarsh
Easy Online Forms Available For Sport Plane Manufacturers And Suppliers To Be Listed In The Upcoming eSPRG
Work on the SportPlane Resource Guide is going well… Albeit a little bit behind schedule, because as we got into this process, things became a bit more complicated simply because we learned we could do an even better job at certain aspects of this project than we thought from the beginning. They say that the enemy of true quality is the phrase "good enough" and we want to be far more than “good enough.”
FMI: www.sportplane.com,
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Also: VAI v Anti-Heli Actions, Electric Aircraft Symposium, 2024 FAA Drone/AAM Symposium, Gravitymaster
Blue Origin's seventh passenger flight ended with a smidgeon of drama when one of its 3 parachutes failed to fully deploy, forcing it to rely on its remaining 2 units. That's not the worst system failure in the world, since the triple-chute system sports redundancy as a baseline, but it's always a little discomfiting to rely on a backup whenever parachutes are involved. Women in Aviation International (WAI) members and friends will honor the valiant service of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) by visiting their graves and leaving an appro
With The eSPRG Only Weeks Away From Its Start Date, A-AF Will Help To Support Sport Flyers, Worldwide
With the all-new and all-digital SportPlane Resource Guide getting ready for publication early next year, the Aero-News Network is pleased to announce yet another addition to the Airborne video news programming roster… Airborne-Affordable Flyers. Dedicated to keeping people up-to-date on the most affordable aspects of sport and general aviation, Airborne-Affordable Flyers is one of our most exciting offerings yet. A-AF will delve into more than just the current LSA community, but look at all aspects of aviation to examine and ev
From 2020 (YouTube Version): First Flight Conducted In Early 2019
SyberJet Aircraft recently completed the first flight of its SJ30i aircraft featuring SyberVision, an all-new cockpit based around the Honeywell Epic 2.0 avionics suite, new ergonomic enhancements, electronic standby attitude/heading display, and much more. SyberJet conducted the flight out of its Engineering and Product Development Center at the San Antonio International Airport (KSAT) and kicked off an 18-month certification test program which will culminate in an amende
First Pieces Of Wreckage Recovered At The Beginning Of The Path Consisted Of The Separated Elevator-Rudders
On May 15, 2024, at 1202 central daylight time, a Beech V35-TC, N47WT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Franklin, Tennessee. The private pilot and the two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot departed from Louisiana Regional Airport (REG), Gonzales, Louisiana on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan about 0850 and was enroute to Bowman Field Airport (LOU), Louisville, Kentucky to pick up an additional passenger before returning to REG. The planned flight was about 550 nautical miles.
Deal Helps Bolster Development Process on Road to Production for Helix eVTOL
Pivotal signed an 'Other Transaction Authority' contract with the US Air Force and its AFWERX Agility Prime program, providing them with access to testing facilities, segregated airspace, and "expert resources" for a 2-year term. The firm sees the contract as a very solid step in the right direction, where they'll be able to make the best use of government testing facilities and space to keep up developmental pace on their Helix eVTOL. “This OTA (Other Transaction Authority) Contract with the USAF is our first direct-to-government contract and only our second DoD related transaction. We see this as a strong vote of support for the mission potential of Pivotal&r
BIG Upgrades In The Works --- ANN Is Seeking EXCEPTIONAL New Staffers
The last few years have been about as challenging a time as we can recall... but we survive (yeah, we're kinda surprised, too) and look forward to 2023 and what we see as a very rewarding (and yes, still challenging) new generation of activities at ANN. After some truly weird times during the pandemic, ANN continues to expand slowly, but surely, and we have some truly intriguing upgrades coming up over the next few months. In other words, we're about to grow again -- REALLY/TRULY -- and in some novel directions. The much-appreciated expansion of
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And That's But One Of Over A Dozen Major Developments Planned For The Next Year Or So
Aero-News Network is now available on Roku and Amazon FireTV! That’s right folks. You can now get your daily dose of aviation news… right on the ol' giggle box! This is an EPIC development for our network, one of many to come, and we’re thrilled to offer you this new way to watch our news programming. Whether you’re a traditional website reader, podcast listener, or YouTube subscriber, we’re dedicated to giving you quality, honest, aviation news that you can trust and broadening our reach and audience aggressively in the coming years, so that we may both Grow and Inform the aviatio
Brand New! Avoid The Need For A Comeback... Get Your Marketing Right, Right Now!
Some time ago, the Aero-News Network, responding to numerous requests, established a marketing and communications sister company by the name of AEROPRENEUER... and it's been doing amazing work under these difficult circumstances -- and getting results! We're getting rave reviews from our clients, and working hard to earn the trust of a number of new marketing partners along the way. ANN's Amber Cedroni has come up with a few tips to help aero-businesses stay alive in these tough times, and
Emphasis On Growing The Future of Aviation Through Concentration on 'AFFORDABLE FLYERS'
It's been a number of years since the Latest Edition of Jim Campbell's HUGE SportPlane Resource Guide first saw the light of day. That massive 1100 page book last featured over 800 exciting sport aircraft from all over the SportPlane universe... at a time when the SportPlane industry was still a healthy, thriving enterprise (those were the days...). While there has been some consideration, off and on, toward updating the nearly 5 pound book, the near implosion of the SportPlane and kit industry over the last decade has made such a pursuit an unwieldy one... until now.
It’s been a while since we have reminded everyone about all the ways we offer your daily dose of aviation news on-the-go...so here is a full list of ways you can subscribe to our channels and get notifications when there are new episodes or breaking news!
1) Subscribe To Our Newsletter
When surveyed, almost half of our audience shared with us that they rely on our daily newsletter to get their aviation news for the day and stay up-to-date in their field or craft. Are you subscribed yet? If not, use the link below to receive our daily Propwash emails that always feature a feed of our latest stories and breaking news.
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Aero Linx: Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA)
The Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) is a non-profit association formed in 1961 as Canada's voice for business aviation. Since its inception, CBAA has assumed an increasing role in its advocacy for Canadian business aviation interests. With a membership of approximately 400 companies and organizations, including operators, management companies and suppliers, CBAA represents the entire business aviation community with a unified and collective voice.
The goal of the Airborne Partnership Initiative is to grow this program to include a significant portion, if not a majority, of the aviation world’s pivotal organizations, interests, and viewpoints.
Mach Technique [ICAO]
Describes a control technique used by air traffic control whereby turbojet aircraft operating successively along suitable routes are cleared to maintain appropriate MACH numbers for a relevant portion of the en route phase of flight. The principal objective is to achieve improved utilization of the airspace and to ensure that separation between successive aircraft does not decrease below the established minima.
"While on the surface, this bill makes a lot of sense, and I believe the industry is on board with what the Congresswoman is trying to do for First Responders (in addition to farmers and ranchers, as well as those who work with critical infrastructure), that’s where our support ends..."
Source: Vic Moss of the Droning Company, voicing his agreements and disagreements with an effort by Congressperson Elise Stefanik to limit certain drone operations here in the US.
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